This invention relates to an enhanced air handling system and method for creating an energy efficient and healthful building environment. More specifically, this invention relates to a novel positive pressure heat pump that uses heated and pressurized outside air to elevate the internal pressure within a building structure.
In the past, air handling and conditioning systems have been known that heat or cool air within a building or home environment for the occupant""s comfort and safety. One type of previously known air handling system which has been widely utilized in home heating and in some small buildings is referred to as a heat pump.
A heat pump system is a closed fluid system driven by an electric powered compressor or pump. Fluid enters the compressor as a vapor and is compressed. During compression the fluid experiences an increase in pressure and temperature which is much greater than external ambient environments. The pressurized fluid then passes into a condensing coil where ambient air, less than the temperature of the vapor within the condenser, absorbs heat from the heat pump system and air outside the condensing coil is heated. During the condensing operation the internal vapor leaves as a liquid, still at a high pressure. The condensing coil is typically positioned outside of a user""s home and a fan draws outside ambient air over and through the condensing heat exchanger or coil and the heated air is merely blown into the atmosphere at an elevated temperature.
The internal heat pump liquid then flows through an expansion valve where the liquid squirts into a relatively low pressure area. This reduction in pressure results in the liquid turning into a vapor and absorbing considerable heat in accordance with the physical laws of the latent heat of vaporization. A liquid vapor mixture then flows through another heat exchanger called an evaporator or cooling coil and heat from the indoor air is drawn into the cooler heat exchanger or cooling coil and thus into the heat pump system. A blower or fan then delivers the cooled inside air back into the interior of a home or building environment via air ducts.
Although heat pump air conditioning and handling systems are used to deliver, cool and condition indoor air flow, most homes and small offices have considerable air leakage around doors, windows fire places, etc. Since by a basis law of nature heat will flow from a hot body to a cooler body outside air, at an elevated temperature, continually moves into the interior of an air conditioned home environment. This flow brings air born dust, pollen, spores and the like into the home. In addition, in certain soil strata radon gas migrates into below-ground rooms of a home or small building. It would be highly desirable to provide a heat pump system that might obviate or minimize air born contaminants and gases entering into a home environment. Still further, it would be highly desirable to provide a heat pump system where noise pollution from operation of the system could be minimized.
The difficulties and limitations suggested in the preceding are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many which demonstrate that although significant attention and energy have been devoted to improving features of heat pumps for decades, the features associated with the design and operation of heat pumps appearing in the past will admit to worthwhile improvement.
It is, therefore, a general object of the invention to provide a novel positive pressure heat pump system and method that will obviate or minimize problems of the type previously described.
It is a specific object of the invention to provide an energy efficient positive pressure heat pump system and method.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel positive pressure heat pump method and system that will eliminate or minimize outdoor noise during operation.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a novel positive pressure heat pump system and method that will provide an enhanced, healthful, home living environment.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel positive pressure heat pump system and method that will reduce a tendency of air born dust, pollen and/or spores from entering a living environment.
It is a related object of the invention to provide a novel method and system for reducing the rate at which radon gas may enter a home living enclosure.
It is another object of the invention to provide a novel positive pressure heat pump system and method which is operable to efficiently remove air born contaminants from an interior living environment.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a novel heat pump system and method that is compact and entirely contained with the interior space of a living environment.
A preferred embodiment of the invention, which is intended to accomplish at least some of the foregoing objects, includes a system and method wherein a positive pressure heat pump is fashioned within an enclosed cabinet operable to be positioned, compactly, and entirely within a building or home environment. The cabinet is divided in two distinct sections, an outdoor blower section and an indoor blower section. The outdoor blower section includes an inlet port operable to receive outdoor air flow form an outdoor environment and an exit port to expel the outdoor air flow. Interiorly, the outdoor blower section includes a condensing coil, a compressor and a radial vane, outdoor air blower. The indoor blower section includes an interior air return port and an indoor duct, air exit port. The indoor blower section houses an air filter, a cooling coil and an indoor radial vane, indoor air blower. A variable diverting plate is positioned downstream of the outdoor blower section compressor and the radial vane positive pressure air blower. Outdoor air is thereby selectively diverted, at an elevated pressure and temperature, from the outdoor air section to a position in front of the indoor blower section filter and cooling coil so that pressurized air is added to the interior environment of the system and maintains an interior environment of a home or building to maintain an interior positive pressure with respect to a surrounding ambient environment.